New deputy city manager has been hired for Berkeley

Come September, the city of Berkeley will finally be getting a new deputy city manager, officials announced Wednesday.

The position has been filled on an interim basis for more than a year, ever since the person who used to hold the role — Dee Williams-Ridley — took over for prior City Manager Christine Daniel when she left for Oakland in July 2015. It’s the second highest position in the city’s municipal leadership.

Jovan Grogan has now been appointed to the role. He is currently the deputy city manager of Concord, “where he has earned the respect of the City Council and staff for his work to improve city services and address budgetary challenges, as the City recovered from the recent recession,” according to a memo to the Berkeley City Council that Williams-Ridley sent out Tuesday.

Concord, which has a population of about 126,000 people, is the largest city in Contra Costa County.

Grogan is set to begin working for the city of Berkeley on Sept. 12. His annual salary will be $200,000.

Grogan has a background in municipal financial planning, along with “skills in labor relations, infrastructure management, performance measurement, and economic development,” wrote Williams-Ridley.

“Jovan is a gifted leader and we are eager to bring him to Berkeley. His strong background in finance and commitment to serving the community make him the perfect fit,” she said in a prepared statement.

Grogan said Wednesday he is excited about his new role.

“Berkeley is an amazing city,” he said. “As a native of the Bay Area, I cherish the opportunity to serve the citizens of Berkeley, and the partnership that I’ll have with the city manager and the council.”

Grogan oversaw an annual budget of $150 million in Concord as the city’s budget officer before he became the deputy city manager. He worked previously as a consultant for San Jose-based Management Partners, Inc., “to improve service delivery and resolve organizational challenges for local governments throughout the western United States,” according to Williams-Ridley’s memo.

Grogan serves on the board for the California Division of International City/County Management Association and is a member of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.

He got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Cornell University in New York. He has a bachelor’s in urban and regional studies and a master’s in regional planning.

Last year’s changes followed several significant transitions in 2014: the departures of longtime staffer William Rogers, who had been the deputy city manager, and Bob Hicks, the city’s finance director. Daniel reportedly took on Hicks’ job after his departure until March 2015, when she appointed Henry Oyekanmi as acting finance director.

Berkeleyside welcomes news tips from readers. Reach our team by writing to tips@berkeleyside.com or call reporter Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325. Tipsters can remain anonymous. This story was updated after publication to include salary information for Grogan, and the list of department heads.